Africa

Cameroon catch for Bowleven

Bowleven Energy’s Sapele-1ST well in the Douala basin offshore Cameroon in West Africa has encountered 75 ft (23 m) of net hydrocarbon pay in the Omicron objectives. The Noble Tommy Craighead jackup drilled the well to 11,923 ft (3,634 m) total vertical depth in approximately 82 ft (25 m) water depth.

The Sapele-1ST well is in block MLHP-6 offshore Cameroon.

Circle squares Moroccan discovery

Circle Oil has discovered gas with the KSR-11 exploration well in the Sebou permit in the Rharb basin in Morocco. The company perforated 59 ft (18 m) of the Intra Hoot zone at 5,778 to 5,837 ft (1,761 to 1,779 m) measured depth (MD). The Intra Hoot has a calculated net gas pay of 39 ft (12 m) which flowed 4 MMcf/d.

The well reached the Base Guebbas zone at 5,367 to 5,492 ft (1,636 to 1,674 m) MD, which has 20 ft (6.0 m) of net gas pay. The Mid Guebbas zone was encountered at 4,803 to 4,879 ft (1,464 to 1,487 m) MD with 13 ft (4.0 m) of net gas pay.

Tweneboa appraisal joy for Tullow

Tullow Oil’s Tweneboa-4 appraisal well encountered 59 ft (18 m) of net gas condensate in good-quality sandstone reservoirs in the Deepwater Tano license offshore Ghana. Transocean’s Deepwater Millennium drillshipdrilled the well to a total depth (TD) of 13,146 ft (4,007 m) in 4,711 ft (1,436 m) water depth.

Europe

Grosbeak appraisal under way

Premier Oil has spudded an appraisal well in license PL 378 offshore Norway. Songa Offshore’s Songa Delta semisubmersible drilled the well to test previously discovered oil accumulations in Jurassic reservoir rocks in the license.

Marathon Oil and Nexen are partnering to develop shale acreage in Poland. (Image courtesy of Marathon Oil Corp.)

Marathon signs for Poland shale sale

Marathon Oil Corp. has signed an agreement with a wholly owned subsidiary of Nexen Inc. that states Nexen will acquire a 40% working interest in 10 of Marathon’s concessions in Poland’s Lower Paleozoic shales at depths between 8,000 and 18,000 ft (2,400 to 5,500 m). Marathon plans to acquire 2-D seismic in 1H 2011 and could drill a well by 4Q 2011. Seven to eight wells are planned for 2012.

Central Asia

Reliance hits gas in Cauvery-Palar basin

Reliance Industries Ltd. has hit gas and condensate with its first well in block CY-PR-DWN-2001/3 (CYPR-D6) in the deepwater Cauvery-Palar basin offshore India. Discovery well Dhirubhai-53 was drilled to a target depth of 12,516 ft (3,815 m) in 3,917 ft (1,194 m) water depth and flowed 37 MMcf/d of gas and 1,100 b/d of condensate from a 230-ft (70-m) thick zone.

South America

Brava EWT under way offshore Brazil

Petrobras has begun an extended well test (EWT) of the Brava area in the presalt Campos basin in the production concession area of the Marlim field offshore Brazil. The test will be conducted for up to two years. Well 6-MRL-199-RJS is expected to produce approximately 6,000 b/d of oil to the P-27 platform, which is producing the Marlim field.

Falkland Islands appraised

A significant oil column was reported by Rockhopper Exploration Plc in appraisal well #14/10-4 in the Falkland Islands. According to the company, well #14/10-4 encountered 108 ft (33 m) of net pay in good quality reservoir with 20% average porosity. The well was drilled to 9,190 ft (2,803 m) and found the oil-water contact level at 8,127 ft (2,480 m).

Petrobras tests Guara presalt

Petrobras has completed a formation test in the first extension well on the Guara field in the presalt Santos basin, confirming the ultra-deepwater accumulation’s high productivity estimates. During the test on well #3-SPS-69 (3-BRSA-788) in block BM-S-9, flow rates of approximately 6,000 b/d of 30° API oil were confirmed, limited by the capacity of the equipment used. Initial production potential is approximately 50,000 b/d of oil.

Middle East

Marathon hits oil in Kurdistan

Marathon Oil Corp. subsidiary Marathon Petroleum KDV BV has drilled the Atrush-1 discovery well, approximately 55 miles (89 km) northwest of the city of Erbil in the Kurdistan region of Iraq. The well was drilled to a total depth of approximately 11,000 ft (3,353 m) and encountered 400 ft (122 m) of net pay in Jurassic zones, flowing more than 6,000 b/d of oil from three horizons.

Pacific Rim

Beach raises Butlers’ pay

Beach Energy’s Butlers-2 appraisal well has encountered a 16-ft (5-m) oil column in the Namur sandstone reservoir in the Western Flank of the Cooper basin in Australia. The discovery will increase recoverable oil reserves from the field to approximately 1.5 MMbbl gross.

Premier strikes Vietnam oil

Premier Oil has completed appraisal sidetrack well CRD-2X-ST in block 07/03 offshore Vietnam. Diamond Offshore’s Ocean General semisubmersible drilled the well to 10,958 ft (3,300 m) TD in the Miocene section and intersected 59 ft (18 m) of net oil pay.

Otto spuds Philippines probe

Otto Energy Ltd. subsidiary NorAsian Energy Ltd. has begun drilling the Duhat-1 exploration well in Northwest Leyte in the northern block of Service Contract 51 in the Philippines. DESCO Rig-1 will drill the well to a target depth of 3,281 ft (1,000 m). Hydrocarbon shows in several of the shallow wells drilled in the block and the presence of numerous oil seeps in the area indicate the presence of an active petroleum system.

North America

Workover successful in West Cameron

An offshore Louisana workover completion by LLOG Exploration Co. on West Cameron Block 31 was tested flowing 2.86 MMcf/d of gas from Miocene at 12,446-12,476 ft (3,796-3,805 m). The #1 State Lease 18949 was drilled in 2006 to 14,807 ft (4,516 m) from a surface location in the northern portion of irregular Block 31.

New well adds spice to Tabasco

According to Oil and Gas International, a new onshore discovery has been reported by Pemex in Tabasco, Mexico. The #1-Pareto exploratory well was drilled to 23,374 ft (7,124 m), hitting hydrocarbons between 20,008 and 23,394 ft (6,100 and 7,130 m) in Lower Cretaceous limestone and Upper Jurassic dolomites. Flow testing confirmed the initial production rate will be 3,700 b/d of oil and 8 MMcf/d of gas.

Gulf of Mexico

Contango makes Swimmy discovery

Contango Oil & Gas Co. has found gas and condensate with the Swimmy prospect in Vermilion Block 170. The #1 OCS G33596 well is expected to be brought online this fall at a rate of 15 MMcf/d of gas equivalent net to the Houston-based operator. Proved reserves at the site total 48 Bcf of gas and 1.2 MMbbl of condensate.

Cuba plans exploratory wells

The first of five deepwater exploratory tests have been planned in the Cuban sector of the Gulf of Mexico. According to Oil and Gas International, the director of Cuba’s Ministry of Basic Industry said the wells will be drilled between 2011 and 2014 in water depths between 1,312 and 4,922 ft (400 and 1,500 m). Cupet, the Cuban national oil company, and Repsol YPF of Spain will cooperate in the drilling program.